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Continental UltraContact View Gallery (2)
155-275/40-80 R14-20 149 sizes 2021

Continental UltraContact

The Continental UltraContact is a Premium Touring Summer tyre designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars.

7.2
Tyre Reviews Score Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews
Medium Confidence View Breakdown
Dry Grip
85%
Wet Grip
81%
Road Feedback
71%
Handling
72%
Wear
81%
Comfort
86%
Buy again
74%
26 Reviews
79% Average
212,050 miles driven
1 Tests (avg: 7th)
Continental UltraContact

Continental UltraContact

Summer Premium
BETA
7.2 / 10
Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews · Medium Confidence · Updated 23 Feb 2026

The Tyre Reviews Score is the most comprehensive tyre scoring system available. It aggregates professional test data from multiple independent publications, user reviews, and consistency analysis using Bayesian statistical methods, weighted normalisation, and recency-adjusted scoring to produce a single, reliable performance rating.

Learn more about our methodology
Dry
89.7
1.8x / 1 test
Wet
80.1
2x / 4 tests
Value
77.8
0.42x / 5 tests
Comfort
77.1
0.32x / 2 tests

Cross-category scores are derived metrics that combine data from multiple test disciplines to evaluate real-world performance characteristics.

Braking
90.5
3 tests
Score Components
Professional Tests
Weight: 80%
Tests: 1
Publications: 1
Period: 2023
User Reviews
Weight: 15%
Reviews: 26
Avg Rating: 78.6%
Min Required: 5
Consistency
Weight: 5%
Score Std Dev: 1.16
History Points: 10
Methodology & Configuration
Scoring Process
  1. Collect Test Data: Gather results from professional tyre tests across multiple publications. Minimum 1 test(s) required.
  2. Normalize Positions: Convert test positions to percentile scores using exponential weighting (factor: 1.2).
  3. Apply Recency Weighting: More recent tests are weighted higher with a decay rate of 0.95.
  4. Incorporate User Reviews: Factor in user review data (minimum 5 reviews). Weight: 15%.
  5. Bayesian Smoothing: Apply Bayesian prior (score: 7, weight: 1.5) to prevent extreme scores with limited data.
  6. Calculate Final Score: Combine all components using normalization factor of 1.1. Max score with limited data: 9.5.
Component Weights
Test Data
80%
User Reviews
15%
Consistency
5%
All Configuration Parameters
ParameterValueDescription
safety_weight 0.7 Weight multiplier for safety-related metrics
performance_weight 0.55 Weight multiplier for performance metrics
comfort_weight 0.4 Weight multiplier for comfort metrics
value_weight 0.45 Weight multiplier for value-for-money metrics
user_reviews_weight 0.15 How much user reviews contribute to the final score
test_data_weight 0.8 How much professional test data contributes to the final score
consistency_weight 0.05 How much score consistency contributes to the final score
recency_decay_rate 0.95 Rate at which older test results lose influence (higher = slower decay)
min_test_count 1 Minimum number of professional tests required
min_review_count 5 Minimum number of user reviews required
score_version 1.9 Current version of the scoring algorithm
score_normalization_factor 1.1 Factor used to normalize raw scores to the 0-10 scale
confidence_factor_weight 0.2 How much data confidence affects the final score
position_penalty_weight 0.2 Penalty applied for poor test positions
gap_penalty_threshold 12 Score gap (%) that triggers additional penalties
min_metrics_count 2 Minimum number of test metrics needed per test
limited_data_threshold 2 Number of tests below which data is considered limited
single_test_penalty 0.75 Score multiplier when only one test is available
critical_metric_penalty 0.7 Penalty for poor performance on critical safety metrics
critical_metric_threshold 70 Score below which a critical metric penalty applies
position_exponential_factor 1.2 Exponent used to amplify position-based scoring
position_exponential_threshold 0.9 Position percentile below which exponential scoring applies
gap_multiplier_critical 3 Multiplier for critical gap penalties
max_category_weight 2 Maximum weight any single category can have
max_score_limited_data 9.5 Score cap when data is limited
bayesian_prior_weight 1.5 Weight of the Bayesian prior in smoothing
bayesian_prior_score 7 Prior score used for Bayesian smoothing
evidence_test_multiplier 1.9 Multiplier for test evidence in confidence calculation
evidence_metric_divisor 3 Divisor for metric count in evidence calculation
evidence_review_divisor 10 Divisor for review count in evidence calculation
combined_penalty_floor 0.2
Data Sources
TestPublicationDateSizePositionMetrics
2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test ADAC 2023 205/55 R16 7/50 12 metrics
1
Tests
7th
Average
7th
Best
7th
Worst
Latest Tyre Test Results
2023 ADAC Summer Tyre Test
205/55 R16 • 2023
7th/50
Balanced, good on dry roads, good environmental record, very high mileage.
Slight weakness on wet roads.
Driving safety: The Continental UltraContact is rated as just satisfactory when it comes to driving safety. The UltraContact offers the driver satisfactory feedback on the steering wheel on a dry road, but is still safe at the limit. Thanks to its short braking distance, it can still secure a good overall rating on dry roads. On wet roads, however, the UltraContact does not get more than a satisfactory rating. Although it scores in the braking distance measurements and also in handling with good grip and safe driving characteristics, it falters when it comes to aquaplaning. In the case of longitudinal aquaplaning, he does not get more than a satisfactory result, and in the case of transverse aquaplaning, even more than an adequate result.

Environmental balance: In the environmental balance, the UltraContact secures one of the best results in the test. His predicted mileage is classified as very good, and he only just misses a very good rating for wear. The tire also scores with its low weight and low fuel consumption.
Size Fuel Wet Noise
14 inch
165/70 R 14 81 T C A 68
175/65 R 14 82 T C A 70
185/60 R 14 82 H B A 70
185/70 R 14 88 T C A 70
15 inch
185/65 R 15 88 T B A 70
185/65 R 15 88 H B A 70
185/65 R 15 92 T XL B A 71
195/55 R 15 85 H B A 69
195/55 R 15 85 V B A 69
195/65 R 15 91 T B A 71
195/65 R 15 91 H B A 70
195/65 R 15 91 V B A 69
195/65 R 15 91 T B A 70
195/65 R 15 95 H XL B A 70
16 inch
205/55 R 16 91 H B A 69
205/55 R 16 91 V B A 69
205/55 R 16 91 W B A 69
205/55 R 16 94 V XL B A 69
205/60 R 16 92 H B A 69
205/60 R 16 96 H XL B A 69
205/60 R 16 96 V XL B A 69
215/60 R 16 95 V B A 69
215/60 R 16 99 H XL B A 70
205/55 R 16 94 W XL B A 69
205/60 R 16 92 V B A 69
215/70 R 16 100 H B A 69
17 inch
205/50 R 17 89 V B A 69
205/50 R 17 93 W XL B A 69
215/45 R 17 87 V B A 69
215/45 R 17 91 Y XL B A 70
215/55 R 17 94 V B A 69
215/55 R 17 94 W B A 69
225/45 R 17 91 V B A 69
225/45 R 17 91 Y C A 69
225/45 R 17 94 W XL B A 70
225/50 R 17 94 V B A 69
225/50 R 17 98 V XL B A 70
225/60 R 17 99 H B A 69
225/60 R 17 99 V B A 69
205/50 R 17 93 Y XL B A 69
235/65 R 17 104 W B A 70
18 inch
225/40 R 18 92 W XL B A 70
235/60 R 18 103 V B A 70
245/45 R 18 100 W XL B A 70
View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Continental UltraContact >>

Questions and Answers for the Continental UltraContact

Ask a question
October 9, 2023

Hi, after this winter I will need new summer tyres for my Hyundai Scoupe - 185/60 R14. Now I have Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance but the new Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance 2 are not awailible in my size so, what would you recoment ? 1) Continental UltraContact 2) Same as I have now - Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance 3) Someting else - like Bridgestone turanza T005 or Continental ecocontact 6? Thank you :)

I always like trying something new and the ultracontact performed well in <a href="/Article/2023-ADAC-Summer-Tyre-Test.htm">this test</a>!
December 27, 2023

I’m looking for a replacement on my Goodyear EG Performance 2 set. I got a 2016 BMW 320d. I’m looking for a premium touring tyre, I really care about safety, softness of the shoulder and quietness. Could the new Conti UltraContact be the best choice?

I haven't tested the UC range yet, so you'll have to go by the test data on the site.

If you really want softness an ultra low rolling resistance tyre might be the better option such as the EcoContact 6.
April 29, 2024

Is the tread pattern as same as the UC6 in Asian Market?

The ultra contact and UC6 is totally different ( only the names are similar) different pattern and compound.
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Review Summary

Based on 25 user reviews

Drivers of the Continental UltraContact largely praise its quiet, very comfortable ride, confident dry and wet grip/braking, and fuel-saving character. Handling is described as safe and predictable, though the soft sidewalls reduce steering precision and sportiness, making it better for relaxed commuting than aggressive driving. Several users report good wear so far, with only isolated complaints about defects or fast wear on rough surfaces. Overall sentiment is clearly positive, especially among high-scoring reviews.

Strengths
  • Ride comfort
  • Low noise levels
  • Strong dry and wet grip and braking
  • Fuel efficiency/low rolling resistance
  • Predictable
  • Safe handling
  • Good tread life
Areas for Improvement
  • Soft sidewalls leading to vague steering/less responsive handling
  • Not suited to sporty driving

Top 3 Continental UltraContact Reviews

Given 83% while driving a Toyota CHR Hybrid (215/55 R17) on mostly motorways for 29,000 spirited miles
Hello from Thailand, I mostly drive Continental UC6 on motorway with the surface quality as average or below. I am not an always sporty driver just when it is the time. I list from my most impressive:
Compared to the Previous tires as dunlop ec300+, yokohama E70, michelin primacy4
1. Wet grip : in heavy rain I push it faster than other traffic and confident in long puddles 70-80 km/hr
2. Value : my priority is wet road performance b/c it is the most uncontrollable factor when you are on puddles and heavy brake. With half budget from primacy4, it is very preferable other great spec below as compliments in my priority list.
3. Durability with consistent tire feature : I rate it 2nd as primacy4 the best by noise and wear.
4. Comfort : I would say it will be a smooth drive until it end of life at 31,000 miles(I will have reached the safety limit on 31,000 mi / 2 years almost the same time by Sep’25). Previously, I did expect this value on the Michelin only.
5. Handling : when heavily make a lane change(turn and straight again in 1 sec), it feedbacks unstable in tires. The reason I guess due to it soft sidewall which is softer than primacy4.

To summarize, It is acceptable for me with it handling compensating the comfort. With others spec maintained only more stiff in handling, I would accept it as good in all performance. Until now, I have still fine tuned for the tire. Next one I will try Giti Control P90.

PS. Few words for the other tires: Yokohama (decibel) E70 ‘bad wet grip’ ‘not quiet as expect’ , Dunlop Enasave EC300+ ‘all average with stiffer sidewall as I want for my Conti UC6’ , Michelin Primacy 4 ‘all good with less confident on wet than Conti UC6’ ‘pricy tire’
August 3, 2025
Given 83% while driving a BMW 318 (195/55 R15) on a combination of roads for 3,000 spirited miles
Was looking for new rubber for my e36 318i, CC7 or UC7 few bucks more, so UC7 it is.
I was really surprised how well the grip is on the dry and wet!
I cant wheel spin on dry with a 110hp manual car using this UC7 and wet grip were almost perfect for Malaysia's road!
At these price 53usd/pc, im satisfied and a happy spirited driver...
January 2, 2025
Given 76% while driving a Subaru Forester (225/55 R17) on mostly country roads for 15,000 spirited miles
Drives great, in dry and wet and handling inspires confidence. All good stuff. But was wore out in 20/30,000 km. The Yokohama Geolanders I had before these got almost 80,000km. Not as good but lasted a lot longer. I got the UC6 at half price but still not great value. maybe the big chip and gravel wore out the compound. No punctures thru and took them on mild off road terrain.
October 28, 2024

How would you rate the Continental UltraContact?

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Latest Continental UltraContact Reviews

Initial Impressions Review
Given 84% while driving a Mazda 323 BF (185/60 R14) on for 5,500 miles
I bought these tyres to replace an old set of Dunlops that were mounted when I bought the wheels these Ultracontacts are now mounted to. As my car only has 14 inch wheels, it's not easy to find tyres that aren't budget offerings (I live in Europe), but these were one of the few premium tyres I could get in the correct size. I drove on the (albeit old and lightly worn) Dunlops for about 2 months before replacing and the difference was immediately noticeable!

These tyres are definitely way more than my almost 40 year old Mazda can handle, there are no issues with traction loss on the front wheels when powering out of tight corners in the dry (not a low bar to clear when the car has less than 75hp). They're a comfortable tyre for long distances, not very noisy and they absorb bumps fairly well, although I would subjectively rate the Hankook Kinergy's on my other car higher in comfort. Only in the wet do you start to notice the tyre struggle somewhat, but they always stay linear and predictable. I didn't have much issues when dealing with puddles at lower speeds as they are very predictable, but can struggle with aquaplaning when exceeding rural speeds.

After a little over 5000 miles in the past year I still haven't noticed any differences compared to when the tyres were brand-new and they have only lost a bit of tread depth. I'm pretty sure I'll get at least a good 25k miles or another few years out of them before having to replace them, but I'd be happy to buy them again when the time comes!
March 20, 2026
Initial Impressions Review
Given 84% while driving a Nissan almera 1.5 (185/65 R14) on for 20,000 miles
Very good tires, good grip on dry and wet roads. Quiet, very good comfort on the road compared to the Bridgestone Turanza T 005 I had which were quite noisier but in terms of grip the Bridgertons were equal.
January 21, 2026
Initial Impressions Review
Given 10% while driving a Ford Territory (235/45 R17) on for 3,000 miles
Drove 4373 Kms in 18 months and the tyre was unrepairable as it had a small split.
January 9, 2026
Given 67% while driving a Honda CIVIC 1.6 VTEC (195/50 R15) on a combination of roads for 32,000 spirited miles
First and foremost, the tyre is not under any circumstances unpredictable. It is a well made, predictable tyre with quite "soft" sidewalls, however it makes the car feel 'push-y' and understeer-y. As far as wet performance is conserned, i did not like it, there were quite some times when i hydroplaned (however this also might be due to my current aggresive suspension setup, so i won't attribute it 100% on the tyre). I would say is a very well made, all-around tyre and at its price range, is a perfect choice for some daily commute vehicles.
September 16, 2025
Given 73% while driving a Honda Jazz (185/55 R16) on a combination of roads for 30,000 spirited miles
UltraContact has excellent comfort and below average noise level. The rolling resistance is great, so it has a fuel-saving character. It has a long-life as the opposite of former Continental products.
Softly designed sidewall and sholder provides comfort but they causes some disadvantages about handling. While hard cornering in the limits, the tyre tends to roll onto its sidewall. This situation causes the handling reduction and completely loss of steering feedback. Even on daily drive, it has a numb steering feeling.
It has great wet and dry braking performance. Its aquaplanning performance is good as well.
September 6, 2025
Given 77% while driving a Suzuki Swift (185/55 R16) on mostly motorways for 10,000 spirited miles
Overall an excellent tire which will last up to 50.000 KM.
BUT I found them very soft. maybe too soft. I lost the grippy responsive feel of the steering wheel. if your driving style is sporty don't buy them, but if you drive mostly city and in average speeds these are very good tires.
I'm planning to move them to the rear axle and put sportier tires in the front. Probably the Kumho Ecsta HS52 (value for money and sportier) since continental PremiumContact 7 are nit available in 185/55r16
August 29, 2025
Given 93% while driving a Hyundai I10 (165/65 R14) on mostly town for 500 easy going miles
Very nice grip on dry and on wet as well. Actually is a quite tyre. I'll come back after few more miles
November 15, 2024
Given 97% while driving a Toyota Prius III (225/45 R17) on mostly town for 500 easy going miles
First of all thank you guys for the fantastic job you do throughout all these years! Very helpful site, including detailed reviews.
Subject tyres (Continental Ultra Contact) have been fitted on a Toyota Prius 1.8, first registration 2010. Dimension: 225/45R17 91V.
Previous tyres: Michelin Primacy 4, 215/45R17 87W (lasted for 70.000 km).
I was asking for Comfort and low noise. My driving style is fast, but smooth and without any risks. I rarely puss my car to the limits.
Initial review after 500 km:
Very comfort tyre! Great difference to Michelein.
Quite silent. At the majority of the circunstances, tyre is completely silent. In some cases (depending on the road surface and the vehicle speed) it may produce a light hum.
Great dry grip! (Up to now.) Better than the Michelein. I feel very confident and safe when I puss it in the corners. I wish it will keep this performance for its lifetime.
Very good wet grip (up to now). I do not feel any remarkable difference compared to the dry.
No difference to the fuel consumption, despite the increased tyre width.
In general, very happy with my chioce! It is exactly what I was asking for! (For my driving style, for this specific car.)
Remarks. My feeling is that this tyre is not suitable for sport driving style. It feels so soft that I suppose that if you puss it continuously for some time at successive corners it will be overheated. It may be just my feeling. I do not know. I do not want to try it!
Comment. The increased dimension on this specific car works without any problems. It still has plenty of clearance. Better grip, more comfort, same fuel consumption, less cost (to buy them)!
October 8, 2024
Given 27% while driving a Suzuki vitara s 1,4 boosterjet (215/55 R17) on mostly town for 2,200 easy going miles
The worst tires i ever bought. Just after 7 months of normal use one of them had a tearing. The continental in Greece refused to replace!!!!So I paid 160 euros to replace it. DO NOT BUY THESE GARBAGE, as you will never hava back up from this company. Please buy all othet type of tires but NOT CONTINENTAL
September 6, 2024
Given 60% while driving a Peugeot 1.4 HDi (185/65 R15) on a combination of roads for 500 average miles
I recently bought 4 of these to fit my 208, size 185/65 R15 T. They have a good grip on the dry. I have not tested them much on the wet but so far they feel safe too. They also are quiet in a relaxed/city driving but somewhat noisy when driving at highway speed (above 100KPH). The problem with these tyres is their sidewalls, wich are way too soft. That's why they are comfortable (more than my previous Michelin) but the feedback is very poor. Steering is vague and heavier and the car feels unstable when making fast steering/countersteering moves. They don't invite to a sporty driving at all, yes I know it's not their purpose but they should do much better, beeing "premium" tyres. And because of those too soft sidewalls, they buldge a lot in the front, like if they are underpressurized, even if I overinflate them! It looks like the sidewalls are almost touching the ground... It's unpleasant to look at and I doubt very much that they are fuel saving because of that... Concerning the wearing, well I don't care at all because I will not have them on my car long enough to know. These Ultracontact are not worth their price tag if you want a sharp and agile driving. I expected much better from such a "premium" brand... Never again Continental.
July 4, 2024
Given 93% while driving a Hyundai i30 (205/55R16/ R) on for 3,000 miles
Quality tires, I would choose them again.
July 4, 2024
Given 90% while driving a Mercedes Benz C180 (225/50 R17) on a combination of roads for 3,000 average miles
Excellent grip both in dry and wet conditions. Only aquaplaning resistance in deeper puddles seems a bit average compared to my previous Michelin Primacy 4s. Its not bad, but just less impressive. Otherwise grip levels are similar. Road feedback is decent although steering response is not very sharp as the tyre has very soft sidewall. Otherwise handling characteristics are very balanced and safe. Grip runs out progressively and there are no obvious understeer or oversteer characteristics. Feels very safe and controllable even at limit. Once again compared to my previous Primacy 4s this feels better. Primacy 4s had a ton of grip, but once you ran out of the grip, there was quite a lot of sudden understeer. UltraContacts give better confidence at the limit. Best part of the tyre is comfort an noise levels. It's super smooth and silent compared to Primacy 4s which were in my opinion quite harsh and had nasty sound. after around 5000km can't really comment of wear. At least there is no noticeable wear at this stage, so seems good.
Overall I would recommend these to anyone looking for comfortable and safe touring tyre. If sportiness is very important for you, then look elsewhere.
April 17, 2024
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